Remember Me Not
by celestial-gal
Summary: renxhoro When a natural disaster forced a cruel decision to be made, what else could go wrong? A whole lot, for Fate seemed intent on breaking the pair apart… On hiatus
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King, or the quotation below.

_"The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place. All through the long history of Earth it has been an area of unrest where waves have broken heavily against the land, where the tides have pressed forward over the continents, receded, and then returned. For no two successive days is the shoreline precisely the same."_

Quoted from The Edge of the Sea by Rachel Carson, 1955

Summary: renxhoro When a natural disaster forced a cruel decision to be made, what else could go wrong? A whole lot, for Fate seemed intent on breaking the two apart…

Remember Me Not — Prologue

_It was pure chaos. Total mayhem broke out as people ran in all directions to save themselves. The wails of little kids were lost among the screams and shrieks of those who were frightened, of the doomed that were swept out into the raging sea. His eyes took in the scenes of death and destruction, and though he wished to help in any little way he could, he couldn't. Then he saw it. Someone so identical to him that if he did not know better he'd have agreed that they were the same person. 'He' was lost among the waves, tossed about as though he was a rag doll, helpless in the face of Nature's power. He could feel the fear in the other 'him' as 'he' started to weaken, giving up and allowing himself to be dragged into the depths of the watery grave. Stifling a gasp as though he himself was sinking, he felt his lungs burn, as water seemed to enter his air chambers too. It was as if they were linked by something stronger than telepathy. There was no doubt about it now, they were the same person, and he was drowning along with 'him'._

Horohoro Usui awoke into the night, cold sweat running off his brow and soaking into his pyjamas. It had been a long time since he had a nightmare, after all, he was a Shaman, and will not be frightened by silly things like ghosts or spirits. His guardian, Kororo, had woken with him, and was peering closely at her master through concerned eyes. _The dream,_ _no, nightmare,_ he corrected himself, _was so vivid, so real, as if it was really taking place._ He couldn't shake off the ominous vibes that he had been feeling all day, and perhaps that was the cause for the uncalled for 'dream'.

The gang — Yoh, Ren, Ryu, Faust, Chocolove, Lyserg and himself, including the ladies, have decided to spend a week at some famous landmark which he had forgotten the name of before parting to go back to their regular school life. Tomorrow would be the day the vacation begins, and most of them were really excited. It had been a long time since Yoh was let off Anna's training, and they wanted to make good use of the time. That place, or so he had been told, was famous for its white sandy beaches, and the girls, with the exception of Anna, had planned to suntan there. _Though why all they wanted to do was waste time lying under the sun I don't know._ Horohoro shook his head to rid himself of any unpleasant thoughts about the much anticipated trip, and tried to go back to sleep.

_It's going to be non-stop fun in the sun, something that very much appeals to me. Yet why do I have that sense of foreboding? I can't call it a women's intuition, so is it some kind of a sixth sense?_ Tossing and turning in bed, the Ainu looked out of the windows. The sky was dark, as though drawn curtains made of rich velvet. Not a star could be seen among the celestial heavens, and these, coupled with the still of the night only served to unnerve him further. The crickets that used to bug him all night with their incessant noises were quiet for once, and Horohoro could hear the steady ticking of the clock beside him. _It's only four in the morning, which is way too early for me to get up. What must I do to get back to sleep?_ He was annoyed at himself for scaring himself when nothing was wrong, and wanted to drift back to dreamland. Deep in his heart, he knew that a part was him was reluctant to fall asleep, for he was much shaken by his vision of the seemingly real catastrophe, and was not in a hurry to encounter it again.

With a slight feeling of consternation, Horohoro finally decided to face facts: that he would not be able to get any more sleep that day. Crawling to his feet, he started to pack his bag. He wanted to share his feelings with someone else, to sound out what had been troubling him so the whole day, but did not want to hear that arrogant Chinese shaman scoffing at him. He was sure that he would be laughed at if he told the rest that he couldn't sleep because of a 'little dream'. After all, it doesn't matter. _What could possibly go wrong?_ Little did the ice shaman know just how much could go wrong on their holidays…

Author's note: This chapter is shorter than the rest as it's a prologue, and I'm just trying it out a little to see if I can juggle two stories at one go… Review in the meantime…XD


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

_Shadowdragonlady: Sorry that this wasn't a fast update. But rest assured that once my exams are over, I'd update regularly. Bear with me for now._

_Elemental-Zero: Thank you thank you. I'm glad you liked it._

_MeeLee: Well, let's hope that this chapter will be able to live up to your standards._

_Freefaller: Continue guessing. I change my mind very often. I'm sure you get what I mean. XP_

_EternalSkies: Those were the prelims, and yep, I did a whole lot better than what I expected. Maths was all right. I got an A for one and an F for the other. I take two maths, by the way._

_Akari-hayashi: Yup, I'll certainly work hard, but exams are my top priority at the moment._

_Lady Girl: Wow, and there I was wondering if my summary looks good enough. Thanks for liking it._

_Nikka: Thank you and enjoy this chapter._

Remember Me Not — Chapter 1

_It was an endless trail, a maze that he could not walk out of. High walls stretched up endlessly around him, boxing him into the narrow pathway. He was glad that he was not claustrophobic. Everywhere he looked, he found the same granite blockages, going up into the sky, or at least as high as his eyes could reach. He ran his hand against the wall; it was smooth, and nearly impossible to climb, unless he wanted a quick and gory-filled death. Left; right; left; right. He kept going in the same pattern, hoping against hope that the next turn will lead to the exit. That is, till he reached a crossroad. The path split cleanly into two directions, and he knew, without a doubt, though he did not know why, that both would lead to the same door towards freedom. He knew that there was a catch to it. Beyond a low metal fence erected in front of both choices was an item, each different. Even if he couldn't see it, he knew it was something of utmost important. Both were dear to him, as though holding onto a fragment of his precious, happy memories. He couldn't lose any of them. If he took the place leading towards the east, he just somehow knew that he would not be able to turn back and retrieve the other item; and vice versa. He had to choose between them, and the decision will be very painful. He was in a dilemma..._

"Hello! Down to earth, Ren!" The annoyingly enthusiastic voice of an Ainu shook Tao Ren out of his reverie. It was rare that he actually remembered a dream so clearly, and even stranger for him to drift into a daydream. He had tried ways and means to recall what was the choice he chooses in the very end, to no avail. _I've come so close to the end; damn that Horohoro for disrupting it._ Shooting one of his famous 'death glare' at his teammate and friend next to him, he took in their surroundings. They had just checked in at a holiday resort, which had took way too long in his opinion, and was in the midst of falling asleep just waiting for their turn. If he could have his way, he'd have threatened his way into being entertained first.

The room that he was sharing with Horohoro was simply furnished, adequate enough for a relaxing stay, yet maintaining a primitive charm unique to its design. The whole two-story building was built out of bamboo and wooden planks, and every single piece of furniture was made out of materials easily obtained from Nature. Cement was the only exception in this resort, and there were two rooms in every hut-like suite. Each window provided a different yet similarly breath-taking view of the ocean, and he just had to take a look out of them to understand the high charges that came with this privilege. Their room was not painted; retaining the natural colours of the wood the walls were built of. The vitalizing sea breeze added a salty tang to the air, and Ren supposed that the only drawback in this rustic holiday was the noise level he had to endure. Chocolove and Ryu were sharing the other room, and he could always tell when the Afro had just made yet another terrible joke that doesn't really qualify as a proper gag. Ryu was already a noisemaker, even when he was alone, and Ren knew that it was a horrible mistake that those two had to survive with each other. I just hope Ryu doesn't kill Chocolove for his 'comedian acts' before this holiday ends.

Flipping through the room-service menu that was placed above the television set, Ren was irate when he found out that Chinese food was not served here. He saw Horohoro experimenting with any dial, knob or switches he could find, delighting himself with sudden bursts of music and light as he fingered with all those buttons. _He does seem a little fidgety today. Wonder what's wrong._ Feeling increasingly restless for lack of training, he decided to drag Horohoro out with him for a friendly match somewhere.

"Ren, I had a bad dream yesterday," The Ainu's back was to him, yet Ren knew this was what Horohoro had wanted all along: a chance to talk to him. He had thought it would be something of great importance, but the suddenness of such a statement somehow undermined the dramatic effect it was supposed to bring. _A bad dream? That's all?_

"I dreamed I drowned. For some reason, it scared me. Everything seemed so real, I don't know," Horohoro spoke haltingly, pausing at times to look at Ren, as if for assurance, and all these perplexed Ren. Why would he dream of such nonsense. Dying indeed. Ren had heard tales of how 'dreams could come true', and examples of people who had visions of the future transmitted to them as dreams. They were otherwise know as prophets, and they belonged to another group of magical users not unlike Shamans.

"Silly, I won't ever let you die. Not as long as I'm around," The words came out sooner before Ren could stop them, and he didn't understand why he would say them. It makes no sense at all. _These are words that I should be saying to Jun instead._ He remembered comforting his sister once, when she was young, after she had experienced a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep. It was ironic how similar the situations are, yet obviously different. For one, Horohoro didn't need protection. He was a fighter in his own right.

_Flashback_

_"Ren, I'm scared," seven-year-old Tao Jun sobbed into her pillow. Ren got out of bed and sat next to his elder sister, wanting to chase away all fears from her. Nightmares had became an everyday occurrence to the siblings, for Jun would dream of the dead and dying almost every night. It had been a week since their father had stepped up on Jun's training, stating that she was old enough to start witnessing deaths. The sessions had gone badly for Jun, and the nightmares were the result of constant exposure to corpses, for soon, she would have to be a daoshi. Something she was unwilling to become._

_"Not to worry, nothing would go wrong," The words came out sounding more awkward than comforting, and Ren was dismayed when Jun merely cried harder. He wanted, more than anything, to protect her, to bear the brunt of the damage all these were having on her. His sister, one who truly cared for him, who would risk getting hit by their father if it was to help him, who asked for his opinions and feelings before deciding on what's good or not for him. Though he doesn't show it, he would do anything for his sister, his dearest kin. Words of comfort do not come naturally to it, and both of them knew it. He would protect her with actions; shield her from her unseen fears._

_"I dreamt that all the zombies retaliated one day! They were moving towards me; Ren, they wanted revenge, they wanted to squeeze my throat till I can't breathe, till I choke to death!" Jun was almost in states of hysteria by then, and it pained Ren to see his sister that way. He hadn't seen much of what Jun had already saw, but he knew his time would come earlier. In fact, he was about to start his own training, lessons that will prepare him to be the heir of the Tao family. And he knew that he might just become the cold-blooded person he loathes his father for. He didn't want to alarm Jun by telling her all these, but he made a silent vow that day that come what may, he will put Jun's safety and happiness as the first priority, for she was his kin._

_"Silly, I won't let you die. Not as long as I'm around," Embracing his sister, Ren was relieved to see a small smile spreading slowly across her face. Jun did always look prettier when she smiled. He knew he was young, but there were things he still could do while he remained innocent, and one of them would be pacifying his sister after a nightmare. He waved off the soft 'thank you', hugging her ever closer and harder. No matter what, blood is always thicker than water._

_End flashback_

"Thank you," the same words that Jun had said so many years ago were repeated again, by a different person on a different day. He heard the sincerity in those words, and Ren realized, all of a sudden, that Horohoro was just as important to him as Jun…

Author's Notes: Sorry that this wasn't a fast update. My exams, the real ones, started yesterday. It was a horrific disaster. Instead of the carrot meant for an experiment, my finger became the victim of the penknife instead. So there was this commotion and my paper was taken away for a moment while my blood dripped all over the table. In fact, a teacher had to do the cuttings for me in the end. Well, the main point is: Don't ever try to cut a carrot with a penknife. Enough of the pointless rambling, and I just want to remind you guys that reviews are important to me. XD


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

_EternalSkies: Do remember to have enough sleep. It's important for growth. And update your story soon. XD_

_Akari-hayashi: I liked writing that flashback, and I'm glad you like it. Loves between siblings are always very sweet._

_ShadowdragonLady: Yay! Yet another person who liked the flashback. I'm finally updating again. Haha._

_Elemental-Zero: Not much is happening yet, I'm afraid. I wonder if you can guess what's going to happen. Evil grinz_

_Freefaller: Haha, couldn't stand both of em, so placed them together in a room. Maybe they can finish each other off._

_LadyGirl: Thank you! I was wondering if constant writing had improved my literacy skills, and am very happy that you think that way! Another big thank you for having constantly supported me._

_Dark Angel of Hatred: Thank you! I'll continue to work hard._

Remember Me Not — Chapter 2

_No air! Panic set in, and he struggled for all he was worth, but even then, he knew that it was a hopeless situation. He was bound to drown in this merciless sea, for he was weakening rapidly, and there was nothing for him to hold on to. Not until now. Someone was holding out his or her hand, willing him mentally to grasp it. He did it without thinking, hands scrabbling wildly for anything that he could reach, gripping hard on the hand that was offered. He could not hear or understand what the other party was mouthing, not over the roar of the angry waves and the boom of thunder that seemed to fill his entire eardrums. The other hand holding his own shifted subtlety, and he interpreted it as a sign of trying to shake him off. Terror flooded through him at the thought of being swept further out into the sea uncontrolled, of having water entering his lungs, burning them painfully as life drained out of him. He understood, perhaps better than anyone else, the might of Nature, and should have realized that any futile attempt at survival was probably a wasted effort in the face of this calamity. Yet he refused to give in so quietly, so meekly, without a fight. He was still young, and there were many things that he had yet to do, and he couldn't leave this world now. Not till he had lived his life to the fullest. He grip tightened, locking fingers with the other hand, holding on so tightly till his knuckles went white. It was cold, for water had seeped into his clothes long ago, and he shivered. He was used to the chilly airs of Hokkaido, but not to these waters. He didn't want to die in a foreign land. He would never let go. The other person seemed to be getting more desperate by now; giving a mighty wrench, he or she broke off, though it seemed reluctant, and moved away from him. Further and further away, till he was just a speck upon the boundless sea. He was all alone again…_

A cold blast of salty sea air in his face brought Horohoro out of his daydream. Glancing at the sea, which was an innocent picture of calm at the moment, the Ainu shut his eyes tightly and tried to recollect his thoughts. He hadn't expected the nightmare from the night before to barge into his holidays once again, and frowning as his thoughts ran deeper, tried to figure out the reason. There had to be a reason for everything. _Was it because I forgot to pray to the sea god before I left? _The Ainu culture emphasized on the gods of Nature, animals, plants and everyday items, and required constant praying in order to show gratitude to these gods. Horohoro was sure he didn't leave out a single god when he prayed yesterday night, and sighing, leaned against the palm tree nearest to him. Everyone about him was having fun. Teenagers not unlike himself were all over the beach, sun tanning, playing volleyball, surfing, and swimming or in some special cases, such as Yoh's, training under the good old sun.

"Slacking after I just left you for a moment?" Horohoro ignored the sarcastic comment given by the Chinese shaman and continued staring ahead into the ocean. Streaks of white and silver marked the crests of the waves as they move towards the sand, letting out a swishing sound before ebbing away silently. The waters were a calming myriad of greens and blues, and occasionally, there were large ripples that carried across the surface of the water when people jumped in to have a swim. Horohoro was tempted to go in for a swim as well, but the last daydream had left him with a phobia of the unpredictable sea. It was low tide now, and little kids could be seen hunting for shrimps in little pools of seawater that had collected in between and around nooks and fragments of rock at the base of a sea cliff. Aware that Ren was still looking at him expectantly and waiting for an answer, Horohoro turned around to face his team leader.

"Ren, you believe that dreams tell foretell the future?" Seeing the questioning look that the Chinese was giving him, Horohoro knew that Ren probably thought that he could not shake off the remnants of the nightmare that he had admitted to. Feeling the warm sea breeze caressing his face gently, Horohoro gazed at the sky absentmindedly. The skies were as unpredictable as the seas, and held, just like the oceans, unfathomable amounts of hidden secrets. Right now the clouds were a fluffy magnolia white, drifting lazy in large patches across the baby-blue sky. The very picture of peacefulness; a stark contrast to the skies in his daydream. _Threatening gray clouds rolled across the skies in waves, seemingly mirroring the angry, churning sea. Jagged streaks of lighting slice through the clouds occasionally, accompanied by the deafening thunder. It hurts his ears, but he can't help but be fascinated by it. By the raw might that each flash of lighting carry, keeping in mind that it's at least thousands of voltage, and it possesses way more electricity than any generator can produce._

"Yes," Ren's curt reply cut-off Horohoro's daydream. It was worrying the Ainu that he drifts into such scenarios so easily now. He could even acutely feel the cold from the seawater when he visualizes the whole drowning process, and it scared him. If these dreams were to foretell his future, he was a dead man. Letting Ren lead him, by means of constant probing, to the latest training grounds, Horohoro tried hard to suppress the wild thoughts running uncontrolled in his mind. _I'm not going to let these spoil my holidays._ Taking one last look at the baby blue sky, Horohoro turned his attention to the training at hand instead, and hoped that the feeling of menace that he felt emanating from the surroundings were merely a figment of his imagination.

_Author's Notes: So it's yet another chapter done. Updating should take place a whole lot sooner from now on as exams are over, but no guarantees. This chapter's a bit short, but I enjoyed writing the dreams. Just remember to review after reading as usual. xD_


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King._

Remember Me Not — Chapter 3

"Fight me," the Chinese shaman commanded with a final poke at the Ainu. Ren wanted Horohoro to focus all his concentration into a battle with him; it would be something that would keep both of them occupied, an outlet to freedom from the constant worry that had plagued them since two days ago. Ren's amber eyes took in the vague expression on Horohoro's face, and fought the urge to just yell at him to respond. They were at the bottom of a sea cliff, and since it was currently low tide, the wave-cut platform, as well as the shingle beach could be seen. There were rocks jutting randomly out of the ground, and due to the uneven and rocky surface of this part of the beach, few trespasses into this area, leaving the place the perfect grounds for an unofficial shaman fight.

Focusing his attention momentarily to fuse Bason's spirit into his Kwan Dao, Ren pointed the weapon at the Ainu, who looked irately at the Chinese as he prepared his Oversoul. They knew what the other was thinking: it would be all out war once they started. The past couple of days had left them strained, and pent up energy and tension was just waiting to be unleashed. Ren lowered his Kwan Dao, and told, or rather commanded, Horohoro that no large Oversouls were to be used. They couldn't afford to attract too much attention. As Kororo melded into Horohoro's Ikupasui in a swirl of blue-white light, the battle began.

Swinging his blade in a downward clockwise motion, Ren took on the offensive, only to have his attack stopped by a shield made by ice. Jumping lithely backwards continuously, the Chinese managed to dodge a whole range of ice attacks, and feinting right before aiming for the center, Ren brought his weapon down hard on yet another defensive ice structure. He channeled more Furyoku into his Kwan Dao, and feeling Bason's might merge as one with his own, swung the blade the upwards with both hands to take a blow from Horohoro's Ikupasui, which had been added on, by means of ice and snow, to look like a glittery sword with razor-sharp edges.

The force that erupted from the clash of both weapons forced Ren to take an unsteady step backwards, and he wasn't surprised to see Horohoro doing the same. A sudden gust of wind came and left, leaving the sand swirling around their feet. Seawater came up in a spray and wetted them slightly as well. It stung Ren's eyes, and he blinked once, furiously, to get the droplets of salty liquid out. A low rumble of distant thunder could be heard, and glancing up briefly, Ren could see gathering darkness far out in the North. It was unlikely the storm would reach them, even if it ever did, they still a few hours before they would need to seek shelter. Looking back at Horohoro to continue their subtly interrupted fight, Ren didn't miss the expression of anxiety on the Ainu's face. It was there for only a second, and could easily pass off as a trick of the light. But Ren wholly trusted his senses; his eyes would never show him false information. It was plainly obvious to Ren that Horohoro was afraid, even for a moment, of the thunder that heralded the possibility of a fierce storm.

Since Horohoro didn't mention anything about the temporary lull in their battle, Ren decided to let whatever he had just seen pass. He supposed he would think about it a little later; but not now. There was a Shaman fight he had to win at this moment. Slicing through Horohoro's Imperial Ice formation attack, Ren was surprised to find himself backed into a corner made with three walls of ice. After all, they were near the sea, where water, the liquid state of ice is in abundance. It would be relatively easier for Horohoro to construct his icy structures in this area than the usual arena. Ren saw a small smirk grace the lips of the Ainu as Horohoro advanced with yet another aggressive attack involving icicles, and Ren disengaged the Oversoul from his Kwan Dao, choosing to fuse Bason's spirit with Horaiken instead.

Stabbing his sword down hard into the yielding sand, Ren aimed for the lines of weaknesses in the tall blocks of ice and split them cleanly along those faults with a single Sea of Swords attack. Moving backwards to dodge a another blow from Horohoro, Ren once again found himself cornered. He had moved very close to the shoreline without realizing it, and Ren kicked himself mentally for that dear mistake. The sea was now Horohoro's main source of power, and by moving towards it, he had just given that Ainu an advantage against him. _Not that it'll matter; the best will always win._

_A wall rose in front of him, shutting him out from the rest of the world. Looking first left and then right, he noticed that the ice walls that had been there a moment ago had turned into granite. Smooth stone slabs worn out and polished by the constantly incoming waves. Turning around so that his back was to the newly formed wall, he could see the open sea. The water was eerily calm, and emanated a feeling of immense and powerful menace that reminded him unnervingly of old Doomsday prophesies. He could not quite pin down the mixed feelings he was experiencing, and through it all he could hear the waves, the song of the sea playing constantly in his mind in a seemingly mocking way._

Ren blinked yet again, shaking off the powerfully vivid images flashing in his mind. In frustration, he destroyed the ice walls that Horohoro had formed around him, as if blaming them for the confusion that had settled deep within his soul. Letting pure instinct take over, Ren slashed continuously in a refined form of the Golden Slash Dance, striking with renewed vigor each time Horohoro parried the last blow. He could tell that likewise, the Ainu was doing the same thing, letting the pump of adrenaline do their work while their minds try to work out more complex methods to take each other down. Taking martial arts lessons from young gave Ren a huge advantage when it came down to this, and it's common knowledge among their group of Shaman friends that Horohoro wasn't well known for his thinking prowess. _The fight will be over soon._

It was a test of stamina and willpower as both chose, over their common sense, to just fight it out with nothing but a single weapon each blazing with Furyoku. It doesn't matter much if this was going to be tiring; both wanted to make themselves tired for the night so sleep would come to them faster even with all their problems. Ren threw aside the many different probabilities of Horohoro's next move and ways to intercept them, and just tried to embrace the feeling of exhilaration and thrill that came with the hand-to-hand combat. It had been awhile since they have last fought without the weight of the pressure coming from the Shaman Tournament, and this was when Ren realized how good it felt actually. Never had he fought 'for fun'. Even thinking of this suggestion made him feel sinful. Smiling inwardly to himself, Ren raised Horaiken and jumped up for an aerial attack in a single fluid motion that would end the fight with him as the victor.

_Author's Note: So here's the update finally. I've to apologize for the lateness and quality of this chapter, though I've got no excuses for them. now has that new function for me to reply to my reviews personally, so I'll use that method if the review written by someone who's logged in. For those that I'm not… I'm sorry. I'll try to find out if replying in my chapters is still allowed. Until then, please do continue to read and review this fanfict. xD_


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King and any of the characters.

Remember Me Not — Chapter 4

_The sea called out to him, ever tempting him to enter its treacherous waters in a bid to seal his fate. He shied away the edge of the beach, hoping against hope that this will change the whole story, that he wouldn't have to go through the torture that he somehow knew would come later. It didn't work. The waters came for him anyway, rising up in a huge wave that rocked the earth when it cascaded down upon the beach, and he tried to run. He knew, deep down in his heart, that he was too slow, too slow…_

Scowling, either at his 'vision' or due to annoyance that Ren had defeated him once again he didn't know, Horohoro pushed Ren's blade away and straightened up slowly, brushing the sand off his clothes as he did so. His pants were wet, due to the fact that Ren's attack had forced him diagonally down, so that he ended up 'sitting' in a most undignified manner at the edge of the beach, where the waves constantly grace. Dripping with seawater, Horohoro cast his vision out to the neighbouring islands that dotted the north. They would be going to one of those the next day, where a fun-filled day of fishing, and cooking via barbeque the seafood that they had caught for dinner had been planned. The feeling of apprehension that had taken hold of him since they day of the first nightmare had not left him yet, and he knew that later in the night, he would be thankful for that exhausting battle, for it will entitle him to drift off without endless thinking.

For the first time in his entire life, Horohoro wasn't interested in his dinner. It was a scrumptious spread of delicacies freshly caught from the sea, cooked in many different styles, though the dominant one was clearly Chinese. _Looks like Ren had gotten his way with the restaurant management again._ Picking away at a rather large tiger prawn deep-fried with oatmeal, Horohoro wondered if it was really all right for him to get on the ferry that was bound for the neighboring islands the next day. He glanced over at the next table, and wasn't at all surprised to see the food there cooked Japanese style. Anna would never have settled for anything less, like Ren. He was secretly envious of Yoh for having such a fiancée, though he could do without the training sessions. Turning back to his previous musings, he wondered when he became such a worrywart. That was usually a job for Pilica. If the 'visions' that he were seeing were telling the future truthfully, there was no way he could escape his fate just by avoiding the sea, right? He might as well just face the music for whatever crime against the waters he had committed. _Right, no use worrying about something that you will have to face one day._ After all, Ren had promised that he would never let him die, and Horohoro trusted him.

The next day arrived without any further problems. There was none of those ridiculous visions, and Horohoro concluded that all of them arose because of that un-called for nightmare. The moment he had let it go, the images had ceased to come forth. The weather was splendid; it was a nearly cloudless day, with the sky an innocent blue throughout. The waters was also the very picture of calm, with the waves rising gently in little crests of white foam and spilling over each other in an attempt to reach the sandy beaches. They were at the jetty now, and little ripples could be seen spreading over the crystalline waters as the boats swayed rhythmically. In actual fact, it felt a little too calm. The air was still, devoid of breezes, and it was a rather humid day. It was warm too, but Horohoro supposed that it was normal for a beach to be baking when it was located near the equatorial, a region that boasts of the sun and rain all year round.

Stepping onto the little boats that were supposed to bring them to the clusters of island, Horohoro hoped that he would be able to catch more fish than his Chinese leader later on; it would be some sort of a payback for yesterday's defeat. As the boats set off swiftly to the North, the Ainu's spirits soar. _What could be better then a day spent communing with Nature when the weather's so perfect?_ Leaning slightly backwards to get into a more comfortable position, Horohoro smiled at his guardian spirit next to him. Kororo had been worrying over him these past few days, and it made him feel a certain sense of guilt just to see her so unsettled. _Yes, a trip to the islands would do everyone good._ Their tour guide assured them of peace and quiet in a totally natural environment, and Horohoro couldn't help getting thrilled by this thought even as he doubted the guide's words. There is no way a place can remain _totally natural_, not when human beings have set foot on them. It was four to a boat, excluding the boatman, and Horohoro was sharing their modest mode of transport with Pilica, Ren and Jun.

Feeling restless, Horohoro kept moving around in the boat, causing it to rock, though it had barely commenced for more than a quarter of an hour. They were told beforehand that the whole trip would take under forty-five minutes, but he knew that staying still for a rather hard task, at least to a hyperactive person like him. Horohoro didn't notice the way the wind had picked up, nor did he notice the way Ren had frowned, before the freak storm that had been brewing discreetly in the skies came upon them all.

The errant spear of lightning that slashed its way through the rapidly darkening clouds was the first sign that Nature gave them. Even as a deafening boom of thunder followed almost immediately, Horohoro could not help watching in morbid fascination as his worst nightmare transformed into reality right before his eyes. It was not only creepy, but also fascinating to witness the changes that a storm could bring to its surroundings, and in such a short time too. The sky, a deceptive blue just minutes ago, was now a ghastly purple, violet light outlining the storm clouds, which had came with the wind. The still and stifling air had been replaced by a strong and unyielding gust of wind, and there was no mistaking the sharp scent of rain as the rocking of their boats intensified. The sense of unease that couldn't quite be dispelled came rushing back to Horohoro all at once, and he felt almost paralyzed by fear. Even as he knew that he would regret it, he looked down, and stifled a gasp as the images of drowning crowded his mind, killing all resolve to do something about it all. The waters were no longer crystal clear; just like it had been in his nightmare, they were mirroring the skies, and dark waters had started swirling beneath the boat — the current sanctuary they have, and it was merely made of wood.

As the wind picked up, the howling in Horohoro's ears intensified. He could not make out what everyone else was saying, or even if he could hear them beyond the thunder, which sounded like the tolling of large bells as the day drew to an end, or the yowling wind, his panicked mind couldn't make any sense out of them. Pilica had taken to crying now; though he wasn't sure of the fact. Large droplets of rainwater had started to pelt from the skies above, shrouding everyone in a hazy mist and limiting his vision. The waters were churning fiercely now, tossing the boats up and down even as various Oversouls were used to stabilize them. There was no way a few shamans, even if they were of considerable strength, to be able to deal with the might of Nature's wrath, and Horohoro knew the best way to avoid trouble is to just give in and follow the flow. Perhaps, if they can modify their Oversouls to resemble boats instead and just go with the waves till the storm die down, nothing too bad will happen.

A sudden wave capsized the boat that Horohoro was on without warning, dumping its occupants into the seawater unceremoniously. Spluttering as his head managed to get above the water, Horohoro barely had time to take in another shuddering gasp of air before he went under again. The unfathomable waters swirled around them, and Horohoro was glad that he was a strong swimmer. Integrating Kororo into the Ikupasui he kept on a string around his neck, he formed a large slab of ice under his floundering sister. _It's a good thing that ice floats on water._ But what Horohoro wasn't prepared for was another boat that had been tossed by the ocean in his way. And as the bulk of the boat crashed against his skull, Horohoro realized with a start that no matter how hard he tried to gain focus of his mind, he could feel himself slipping into an unwelcome darkness, and that the visions he had been experiencing all along was a premonition of a disaster after all.

Author's notes: Sorry to all my readers who have been waiting patiently for this update, especially to _EternalSkies_, to whom I've promised this chapter nearly two months ago. Hopefully not too many people have forgotten about this fanfict of mine, so please leave a review to reassure me all right?

The real climax of this fict will show itself in my next chapter, and I pray that I've made this storm sound convincing, as well as having adequately described it.

_PS: I don't really know if ice can float on seawater, seeing as saltwater is less dense than normal water._


End file.
